Razing of Meridum
"We all watched in horror as the the Oltanian Armada just bombarded the Moon's surface.... it just took us all by surprise....." -A Civilian's description of the Razing of Meridum The Razing of Meridum, became a hallmark event in the First Galactic War, because of the Oltanian's strategy when the event occurred. It was planned to strike fear and demoralize the Republic due to their treachery and fail to assimilation to the Oltanian Empire. It was also where General Rendaux and Commander Bertholdt battled. Prior Razing Its been some years since the Republic General has reclaimed the Founder's Triangle from the Oltanians, and survivors are returning to their homes or what remains of their homes. Many survivors were shocked at the devastation the enemy has done to the Capital City, many buildings are razed or collapsed into the UnderCity, major emergency services were either flooded already with the fires and untamed criminals across the Capital. During the recovery efforts, many civilians tried to return to normal to atleast stabilize their lives after the terror they were forced to that started the war. Up above the Capital, the Republic's defenses were badly damaged or destroyed, its space ring severed and parts exploding into the atmosphere, the Republic had a tough time especially with the disappearance of the Smith Royal Family when they were evacuating the Capital during the initial Assualt. In the midst of Chaos, the people of the Capital looked up to Meridum and its pristine glory, how no matter much chaos it went through, the moon managed to survive and pull together its spare rations to help the people of Tretris. Meridum served as a beacon to the people of Tretris that no matter what will happen they'll pull through. Little does the Republic know the Oltanians were about to pull their move. The Event that stopped the Galaxy Sometime past 3pm, The Republic's Deep Space sensors blarred about a massive Oltanian Fleet approaching and coming a great speeds. However before the Republic can react and or build a defense, a massive fleet of Oltanian Bombardier Cruisers appeared above the Capital City. Civilians fearing that the Oltanians were going in for the killing blow by literally leveling the Capital, turned to see the Cruisers doing something shocking, shocking to this very day.... Civilians watched from above as the Cruisers above fired... but instead onto the Capital City, they saw explosions on Meridum... The Oltanians were bombarding Meridum's Surface. While most Cruisers focused on the Meridum Maas Caldera, some other cruisers just trailed their guns across the moon's surface making sure that every kilometer of the planet was razed. Everyone watched, however in the midst of this, an angered General Rendaux boarded one of the cruisers after getting reports that the Vernindad himself was onboard to spectate this event. Battle on the '' ' Bertoon's Grave ' " ''I know of your past Rendaux... or is it Smith...? You think a name change and a hologuise can hide you from your past? You think wrong... " -Vernindad Jessop's quote to General Rendaux General Rendaux after seeing that his homeworld of Meridum was being razed to the ground was enraged and sought out to take out the Oltanians, however without the First Fleet, nor the Red Crimson Squad to support him, he couldn't do anything till his spies gave him notifications that the Vernindad himself; Vernindad Grenger Jessop was onboard the Bertoon's Grave; the Capital Ship of this fleet, was spectating the event as a way to demoralize the Republic. Now fueled with a goal to kill the Vernindad to end the war once and for all. However Rendaux will soon come face to face to his greatest enemy. After sneaking through the Capital Ship, Rendaux finally reached the observation deck of the Bertoon's Grave. It was there he came face to face with the Vernindad and his personal bodyguard, Commander Reiner Bertholdt. The Vernindad pleased to see the hatred emanating from young General, he knew that razing the General's homeworld will trigger his response. The Vernindad stood from his throne and approached Reiner telling him to stand down saying he will personally deal with the young general. Unlike to Rendaux who wanted to fight with physical uses and weapons, the Vernindad's only weapon was his words attacking the young human general psychologically. The Battle over the Past.... A side revealed... '---The Following Transcript is what was pulled from the Bertoon's Grave Camera after the First Galactic War---' "Now...now... young General... you think your gun will speak your anger? Are you a brute or are you hiding something that makes that pathetic moon so important?" The Vernindad says approaching the young general who now stammers as the Vernindad approaches. '' ''"You know why I am here, you dreaded too far into the Republic's Capital System! Attacking us once, and now back here to finish the job!? Your tyranny will end here once and for all!" Rendaux says as his blaster pistol aims the Vernindad but Reiner stands in front of him. The Vernindad chuckles silently as he gets up commanding Reiner to walk off, as he himself walks to the Window watching the bombardment of Meridum. "Finish the job..? Hah! You're Republic... failed to accept assimiliation...." The Vernindad says as looks at the bombardment. "Assimilation?! You're Empire enforces slavery and mass genocide of species that aren't yours or related to yours!" Rendaux calls out. "And what does your Republic offer? Freedom? Representation? Bah, the moment you give someone those two they become corrupt figures dying for more power..." Vernindad says as he turns to Rendaux "Our Republic has strict laws to make sure everyone is treated fairly! Not enslaved or held against their will! But stop distracting! You are under arrest and you will not stop me! You will pay for the actions and the lives you taken!" Rendaux says as he aims his blaster at Vernindad. Before Rendaux can react, The Vernindad appears infront of him with a deep glare staring into the General. "What makes this planet.... so unique..... why did you appear just now... when this happens I..I am avenging the lives you are taking from my homeworld!" Rendaux calls out in anger and solace as he holds his pistol at point blank at the Vernindad, by now his vision starts to get blurry and begins to hear things in his head. "What...makes this planet so special....is there....is there something you're hiding...? The Vernindad says as stares deeply into Rendaux's eyes, At this point, Rendaux begins to hear past voices, of his past life, and many memories flashing infront of him. '' ''"G-Get out of my head! S-Stop this!" Rendaux struggles to say as he's reliving many memories of the past, "What are hiding..... there is more to you then your appear to give off Rendaux...." The Vernindad says as he places his claws on Rendaux's head. "S-stop it! Get out of my head!! Stop it please!" Rendaux says as he begs as the memories reveal his family back on Meridum. "Ahh.... you are hiding your family......" The Vernindad says '' ''"Stop it!" Rendaux yells out as he push the Vernindad off, but he quickly appears infront of Rendaux again, "You....cannot hide him.....nor.....your mother.....or father....." The Vernindad says just then Rendaux is shocked as he falls down in fear looking at the Vernindad. By now he begins to approach the frightened General, "You...cannot hide it...." He says to the General. Rendaux terrified keeps backing up from the Vernindad. "Stop it! Just stop it! Get out of my head! They are dead! Just along with the rest of them!" Rendaux stumbles to say as he keeps backing till the Vernindad chuckles watching this. "You think that hiding everything.... your past.... your... family... wouldn't bring you down...? You hold onto them because it's the last bit of your loving memory you got....." The Vernindad says as he towers over the General. '' ''"Stop it!" Rendaux yells out as he covers his head with his hands, as he hears the Vernindad towering him he looks up, before being grabbed by the chest and slammed against the wall. "You cannot hide from me Adrian Rendaux..... or is it Tudor?" The Vernindad says as this shocks Adrian further. '' '' "I remember.... you were the child of the Intelonians....the same Intelonians that enslaved my people" He says by now tears start to flow down Adrian's face as he's instantly reminded of his parents, "How ashamed... the Bogwing Flu took your parents life, and not yours.... Survivor's guilt is such a traumatizing effect for a child at your age...." The Vernindad says Adrian by now crying over the instant reminder of his parent, struggles to fight the Vernindad, but fails, "You cannot hide your pain, the suffering that happened, you decided to hide and outlive everyone, even if it meant hiding your identity from everyone. '' ''"First... you lost your parents..... then your identity.... Such ashamed... We could've used you in the Empire....." The Vernindad says as he tosses Adrian across the room landing him next to Reiner. "Mother.....Father..... I'm sorry....." Adrian says in his weakened state. '' ''"Pathetic.....The Republic's Greatest General.... the Mastermind of the Republic's Victories.... Now a weakened child of his former self....Reiner.... Finish him.... He served his Republic..... and he will serve it with his dead parents in the afterlife...." The Vernindad says as a final insult to Adrian, as he returns to his throne overlooking the Razing. "As... As you wish my Emperor" Reiner says as he flips Adrian onto his back, and stabs him with his spear straight through to the heart. '---End of Transcript---' Inner Power General Rendaux completely weakened by the Vernindad's pyschological attack, remained motionless on the floor while Reiner approached him to commence the final blow. When Reiner attacked, he fell to the floor, near death. The Vernindad smiled at this, having his words taken down the Republic's greatest generals. However Rendaux wouldn't go down like that. Something inside Rendaux that clicked, releasing his ties to the past, it released what Reiner described "A Souless Warrior" Rendaux stood up his chest bleeding, looked at the two souless as if his dragon self was activating. Dragon General vs. Oltanian Commander The Vernindad and Reiner were shocked to see that after a killing blow like would be impossible for someone to survive, but to Rendaux now free of his ties charged at Reiner with great strength. Reiner barely had enough to react as the dragon general charged at him, quickly defending himself barely, the two battled furiously, the Vernindad watched as these two dragons battled it out, he was pleased at the strength the dragon general could bring, he soon demanded Reiner to hypnotize Adrian to bring him over to the Imperial side. Reiner fought hard to finally get his chance. Restraining the souless-looking dragon, it gave Reiner the chance to put Adrian under his hypnotizing glare, but the Dragon General quickly reacted and kicked Reiner off and struck the Oltanian Commander with strength that could tear apart the floor. The commander now weakened at this; all he could do was now be on the defensive. The Vernindad seeing this retreated to the shadows and escaped the Capital Ship before he was next. Reiner now weakened laid against the floor, begging to the Dragon General to spare his life however Adrian gave him no pity, and what looked like to him was a killing blow as he took Reiner's sword and sliced him in the chest, was actually Reiner quickly moving at the last second only to get his lower jaw sliced clean off. Satisfied at this, Adrian soon collapsed onto the floor in exhaustion the amount of strength he put out drained him entirely, he soon collapsed into unconsciousness. As for Reiner, now bleeding uncontrollably due to his sliced off jaw, got up with a weak strength and dragged his way to one of the cruiser's medbays, where he was put into a stasis med chamber. For Adrian, reports says a Republic Strike Team after getting word that the Vernindad was onboard the Bertoon's Grave, decided to go in to kill him, but only to find the collapsed Dragon General, seeing this they brought him back to Tretris Oakutarui. Another report says Adrian got up and struggled his way off the ship with what little strength he had. In the end, the reports of Adrian's true form were expunged and buried deep within the Archives. Mournful Losses As quickly as the Oltanians appeared to raze the moon's surface, they left leaving the entire Republic shocked and traumatized at the events that transpired. Everyone on the surface of Tretris saw as the moon was filled with craters the size of warships, entire oceans evaporated its green landscape now a dark brown or gray. What scientists saw was that there was no longer a shining effect of the Meridum's atmosphere, nothing remained of the moon's atmosphere as if the Razing literally stripped the moon of its atmosphere. These events shocked everyone to the core as nothing remained of Meridum's surface, not even its cities were sparred, those that were either burned immensely or just hollowed out husks. To the people of the Republic this event became known as '' Razing of Meridum ''. Category:First Galactic War